The use of MS, e.g., cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, Internet appliances, etc., has increased significantly over the years. Over two thirds of the U.S. population carry cellular phones, and many individuals use their cellular phone as their primary communication device.
MS such as cellular phones operate in conjunction with cellular networks, which are radio networks in which a geographic area is subdivided into a plurality of smaller areas called “cellulars.” Each cellular is serviced by a fixed transmitter or base station usually referred to as a Base Transceiver Station or “BTS.” The MS and a BTS communicate with each other via radio frequencies. Each base station distinguishes the signal from its transmitter from those of other transmitters.
There are a number of technologies and standards that are used in cellular communications around the world. One widely adopted standard is the global system for mobile communication (GSM) standard. In a cellular system operating under the GSM standard, the MS is equipped with a removable ID card called a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card that contains subscriber information. In the US, among the technology standards that were adopted for cellular systems are the IS-54, IS-136 and IS-95 standards. IS-54 and IS-136 are second-generation (2G) systems, also known as Digital AMPS (D-AMPS). IS-95 is a second generation (2G) mobile telecommunications standard that uses CDMA, a multiple access scheme for digital radio, to send voice, data and signaling data (such as a dialed telephone number) between mobile telephones and cellular sites. IS-95 is being supplanted in some networks by CDMA 2000 that uses CDMA to send voice, data, and signaling data (such as a dialed telephone number) between mobile phones and cellular sites. Numerous other standards are in use around the world. Irrespective of the standards and technologies utilized by a cellular system, they share certain common characteristics and many of the methodologies used in one type of cellular network may be adapted for other types of cellular networks.
An MS such as a cellular phone is associated with a set of identifiers or codes. These identifiers are used to identify the MS, the subscriber to the services provided to the MS and the service provider.
One of the identifiers is the System Identification Code (SID). The SID is a five digit number (i.e. 15 bit number). The SID is used by the MS to recognize whether they are in or outside of their home network.
Each MS will also have a unique number with the device. For example, each GSM and UMTS mobile phone has a unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). The IMEI is used by the GSM network to identify valid devices. One of the uses of the IMEI is to prevent fraud. For example, if an MS is stolen or lost, the service provider may deny service to the device having the IMEI of the stolen device. Other unique identifiers for mobile devices may include Electronic Serial Numbers (ESN), or Mobile Equipment ID (MEID). The ESN are mainly used with AMPS and CDMA phones in the United States, compared to IMEI numbers used for GSM phones in Europe and elsewhere. Each time a call is placed, the IMEI or its equivalent is automatically transmitted to the base station so the wireless cellular carrier's mobile switching office can check the call's validity.
Associated with each MS is a Mobile Identification Number (MIN). The MIN uniquely identifies a mobile unit within a wireless carrier's network. The MIN often can be dialed from other wireless or wireline networks. The number differs from the electronic serial number (ESN), which is the unit number assigned by a phone manufacturer. MINs and ESNs can be checked electronically to help prevent fraud.
When the user of an MS powers on his or her device, the device searches for an SID on the control channel. The control channel is a special frequency, time slot, or code that the MS and base station use to exchange information, including information for call set-up and channel changing. When the MS receives the SID, the MS compares it to the SID programmed into the MS. If the SIDs match, the MS knows that the cellular it is communicating with is part of its home system. The MS then sends a data message to the cellular network that includes the MIN and the ESN. The user's MIN is compared with a table of all MINs in the network. The network determines if the MIN belongs to a home customer or to a visiting customer. If the user is a visiting customer, the cellular network where the visiting customer is located (First Network) sends a data message to the HLR in the visiting customers' home network (Second Network). When the HLR at the Second Network receives the message, it checks the MIN and the ESN. If the numbers are valid, the HLR at the Second Network records the location of the MS and returns a message containing the subscriber's feature list and calling restrictions to the First Network. When the First Network receives the message, it creates an entry in its Visitor Location Register (VLR) to store information about the visiting customer, including the MIN and ESN. The VLR is used by the visiting customer as long as they are registered in the First Network. If the visiting customer moves to another service area (a Third Network), the Third Network will initiate the registration process with the HLR in the Second Network. Consequently, the HLR in a customer's network always keeps track of an MS anywhere in the network. If the visiting customer turns off the MS, the visiting customer is “de-registered” in the First Network. When the MS is turned on again, the registration procedure is repeated.
Today, cellular phone users download a variety of content items to their mobile phones including ring tones, games, graphics, picture and video messaging, videos, applications, etc. Mobile carriers offer sales portals where customers can purchase this content and this has grown over the last several years to a billion-dollar industry. Users also typically upgrade their mobile phones every 18 months to 2 years. When a user obtains a new phone, the user must download the content again, even for applications that they subscribe to (like MobiTV). Today, there is not an easy way to guide phone upgraders to a list of past purchases that can be delivered to the phone easily. If a user had purchased 6 ring tones, 3 games, and 2 applications, they would have to manually search for each of those titles on the carrier's storefront and repurchase them on their new phone. In addition, because there are so many phone types, content providers often need to develop over 50 versions of a title (like the game Tetris) to ensure that it will work on every phone. To repurchase the game may involve purchasing a different version of the same title.
MS devices are becoming more flexible in their functionality and the functional capabilities of the devices may be modified on demand by way of things like plug-in memory dongles, CPU accelerators, input/output accessories such as keyboards or external speakers, etc. These changes to the functionality of the MS device offer a service provider an opportunity to market content relevant to the enhanced functionality. There is a need for a capability by the service provider to detect and identify the changes and provide content relevant to the new functionality.